Seed-Specific Expression of the Arabidopsis AtMAP18 Gene Increases both Lysine and Total Protein Content in Maize.

Lysine is the most limiting essential amino acid for animal nutrition in maize grains. Expression of naturally lysine-rich protein genes can increase the lysine and protein contents in maize seeds. AtMAP18 from Arabidopsis thaliana encoding a microtubule-associated protein with high-lysine content was introduced into the maize genome with the seed-specific promoter F128. The protein and lysine contents of different transgenic offspring were increased prominently in the six continuous generations investigated. Expression of AtMAP18 increased both zein and non-zein protein in the transgenic endosperm. Compared with the wild type, more protein bodies were observed in the endosperm of transgenic maize. These results implied that, as a cytoskeleton binding protein, AtMAP18 facilitated the formation of protein bodies, which led to accumulation of both zein and non-zein proteins in the transgenic maize grains. Furthermore, F1 hybrid lines with high lysine, high protein and excellent agronomic traits were obtained by hybridizing T6 transgenic offspring with other wild type inbred lines. This article provides evidence supporting the use of cytoskeleton-associated proteins to improve the nutritional value of maize.

[Towards <>: idea, principle and methodology of design and research results].

<>is the first atlas with spatial analysis methods to study on plague distributions, epidemics, controls, foci characters and their relationships with environment in China. This paper briefly introduces the idea, principle and methodology of its design and the main research results from it. The atlas include ten map groups as general maps, environmental background maps, plague epidemic and foci background maps in the world, maps of plague foci and their environments, epidemic maps, distribution maps of reservoirs, distribution maps of vectors, biotype distribution maps of yersinia pestis, maps of control institutions and control result maps. All map groups are composed together to focus the research on the relationship between plague and its environment for control. The atlas not only expatriates the temporal and spatial distribution of plague in last 200 years in China, but also reveals spatial distribution of plague foci and regional difference of the plasmid combination and biochemical types of yersnia pestis. The close relationship between plague and its geochemical environment (enriched in Fe or Ca) is one of the most important discovers which provide further study and control directions of plague.